"MCLEODGANJ: the land of Lamas"

"MCLEODGANJ: the land of Lamas"

"Once you've been to the mountains, there's no coming back. You belong to them."- Ruskin Bond.

It was quite late when we reached Pathankot from Delhi, and we booked a traveller to Dharamshala. It took us around 3hours, and it was pitch dark, and the chilly winds made the senses go numb! For the night, we took shelter in some guest house at Dharamshala.

The next morning, we boarded the Himachal Tourism bus for Mcleodganj. The curvy roads along the Himalayas, the little colorful cottages, the clouds that kissed the snow-peaks made me smile unknowingly... I was lost in thoughts...

The bus dropped us at the main market, and all of us were extremely hungry. Hot chocolate, chicken maggi, and steamy momos- what could have been a more perfect breakfast menu! A filled stomach instigates crazy ideas- we thought of taking bikes, and opted to go for homestay at Bhagsu, 3kms from Mcleod.

While taking a walk around, I met the locals, talked to them, and came to know a lot about the local culture. Majority of the people staying there are Buddhists, who migrated from Tibet and settled down there. This lady, called herself a "dream-catcher", was the most interesting person I met during the trip. She explained me how she and her husband makes these dream-catching devices, and they also give classes to the ones interested, and surprisingly, they have a batch full of foreigners who are learning this art.

The sunset at Naddi is something I can never forget. I saw the sky changing colors in every minute, the Snow-peaks turned silvery, and slowly everything got covered with the mist, the orange sky paved its way to darkness.

The next day, we went to Norbulingka Monastery, (some 70kms from Mcleod), and it was the best bike ride ever! We had the snow-covered Himalayas on one side, the cliffs and the little villages, and narrow streams flowing... for a while, I felt as if I was somewhere in Bhutan. the colourful prayer flags, the soothing chant, the vibrancy of the place transferred some positive vibes to each one of us. as i sat inside the monastery, staring at the huge Golden statue of Lord Buddha, I felt peace within myself.

Chinmaya Mission Tapovan is another place worth visiting. The Annapurna Ranges is clearly visible from Tapovan.

The next in the itinerary was trekking to Bhagsu waterfalls. Amazing experience it was, climbing up the cliff. My friends took bath also, in the freezing cold water! Coffee and cheese omelette at Shiva Cafe on the hilltop is a must.

The market at Mcleod is nice if you are looking to take back souvenirs. And there are lot of good places to eat, so binge! The momos, the bhagsu cake, the yak cheese cake, and the various types of maggi will make your taste buds go crazy!

Put it in your checklist, if you are in love with the mountains. Happy Traveling! :)

A SHORT TOUR THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS....

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A food walk down the lanes of " Purani Dilli " ...

You saw it in Rakesh Omprakash Mehra's "Dilli 6", but there's a lot more in this area which you have to explore on your own... here's my little experience about exploring "the walled city" known as Shahjahanabad once, now popularly known as Purani Dilli...

The Red Fort and Jama Masjid are supposedly two of the mostly visited places in Delhi, be it the tourists, or by the folks dwelling in the city. But the whole stretch connecting the two is rarely explored, although its a treasure-land for people who are interested in history and FOOD.

History about Chandni chowk:

"Chandni chowk", one of the most busiest markets of Delhi, built in the 17th century by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the market was once divided by canals (which are no longer there) to reflect moonlight, and it remains one of India's largest wholesale markets.

Chandni Chowk, or The Moonlight Square, was designed by Shah Jahan's favorite daughter Jahanara in 1650. The bazaar, which was shaped as a square, was given further elegance by the presence of a pool at the centre of the complex. In particular, the pool shimmered in the moonlight, a feature which was perhaps responsible for the nomenclature of the marketplace. 

One of the most interesting facts about this stretch is that it holds a link of all religions. With the most famous mosque of Delhi, Jama Masjid, built in 1650 in the vicinity, it is an unusual street that has several famous religious shrines, belonging to coexisting religions, lending the street a genuine cultural harmony. Starting from the Red Fort, the street has Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, established in 1656; Hindu Gauri Shankar Temple, built in 1761; Central Baptist Church built in 1814; Gurdwara SeeshGanj Sahib, built in 1783; Fatehpuri Masjid built by Fatehpuri Begum in 1650, one of the queens of Shah Jahan. Apart from these, there are some beautiful havelis, including Mirza Ghalib's haveli.  The Delhi Town Hall was build by the British in 1863, portraying the British architecture.

Food FIESTA :

I was lucky to explore this area during the Ramzan days, when the lane gets more sparkling. The Paranthe-wali Gali and Karim's are quite famous and remains crowded almost throughout the year, but there are numerous other small shops which will make you lick your fingers!

• The "food walk" began with the famous chaat from Natraj's, which was established in 1940. You can try chaat from several shops that has popped up in the city, but Nataraj's has a taste of its own. I was surprised to see a flock of foreigners digging into a plate full of Dahi Bhalla, on a Sunday evening.
• The next stop was Ghantewallah's, which was established in 1790, and its the oldest shop here, serving the best Karachi halwa I've ever tasted. 
• Fruit chaat at Chaatwallah's (1923) was another delicacy to be tasted.
• Take a turn, and walk inside the Paranthe-wali-gali, offering you Paranthas with different types of fillings, starting from Bhindi to Tomato, to Aalo, and Papad, and  dry fruits and what not!! But I would suggest you to try two of them, the Dhuandhaar parantha (which is stuffed with chilly seeds) if you want something really hot and spicy, and the Rabri parantha (which has yummy rabri inside a crispy parantha) !
• Walking down the lane, taking a turn towards Khari Baoli, there's Kakke-di-hatti, serving varieties of naans, and dal makhni.
• Giani's icecreams and kulfis are famous, and has numerous branches all over Delhi, but the oldest one is just next to Kakke-di-hatti, and their speciality is Rabri Kulfi served with honey and dry fruits. And if you are there during the mango season, don't miss out the Aamras.
• The famous Jalebiwallah was our next stop, biting the crispy sweet jalebis.

That's a lot of food, and then you'll really feel like making a little space in your stomach to further go for another ride, a Non-veg one this time.

Walking down the narrow lane, which is usually the place for jewelry shopping, we sipped into fresh lime soda with jaljeera.

The street next to Jama Masjid's main entrance was the place be... thousands of people, the cacophony, the lights and the shamiyaana, and ofcourse, the aroma of kababs all around...

We started off with beef-kababs which were 20 bucks a plate, served with an exclusive chutney.

Next was Chicken reshmi kabab, which were dipped in a gravy of butter (yes, forget about calories and all)... the kababs were perfect, succulent with a tinge of smokiness.

Al-Jawahar was our next target, where we had to wait for some good 15-20 minutes to get a place to sit. Badam pasanda, chicken changezi, mutton korma, biriyani, mutton boti kabab are the must to be tried here, and no matter how full you are, you'll have to have a bite from all to satisfy your tastebuds.

Desserts are a must, and what can be better than firni and shahi tukra!

And finally, ended with a Paan from Chacha's shop next to the masjid.

The sunday evening was indeed an evening to Binge!!

P.S- This was organized by bookmyshow and SeekSherpa, and our friend Mohit Arora took us too all the food joints and showed us around.

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Exploring the beautiful and lonely Neil Island

Neil Island is located at a distance of just 40 Kms to the north-east part of Port Blair. Neil is relatively small as compared to Havelock Island. One can walk the whole island in about an hour or two and are a perfect distance apart to explore by bicycle.

The beautiful blue and green water and deserted beaches makes it an ideal place to chill and relax.  Neil Island is very peaceful.


Bicycles and two wheelers can be rented from the guest house or resort; this is the best way to explore the Island as you have the freedom to go to any place at any time.

Bharatpur is one of the most popular beaches in the Andaman and Nicober region.  This destination is very famous place for activities like coral watching, snorkeling and swimming.

.Laxmanpur beach with its white sand beach is perfect for evening walks.

Where to Stay:
Sea Shell Neil located 1km from Bharatpur beach and 2Km fro the ferry terminal, Kalpak Beach Resort at Laxmanpur are the deluxe hotels while Tango Beach Resort (Neil Island), Kaala Paani Beach resort, Pearl Park Beach Resort (Laxmanpur Beach) etc are some of the medium budget accommodation.

How to reach:
From Port Blair to Neil by ferry it takes 2 hours. Also you can get there from Havelock Island.

Tagged: #NeilIsland #Andaman #AndamanandNicoberIslands #Corals 

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Mussoorie: a travelogue right from the pages of a Ruskin Bond Novel

Mussoorie also known as the 'Queen of Hills' is famous for its scenic beauty, a charming hill station established by the British around 1823. The town retains much of its colonial charm and is well worth a visit for its beautiful scenery and lovely walks.  It is believed and said that the ghosts of that era linger on in the architecture of the churches, libraries, hotels and summer palaces. 

Situated in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayan ranges, Mussoorie is one of the most popular destinations in North India.  It commands a wonderful view of the extensive Himalayan snow ranges in the north-west and glittering views of the Doon Valley. Elevated pine trees form a canopy, and morning rays fight to touch the ground. The shadows form a beautiful mesh on the road adding to it’s beauty. Mussoorie has a poetic charm to it. It is a hill station right out of a writer’s imagination. Over the years, Mussoorie too has fallen prey to commercialisation. 

 

 Mussoorie consists of mainly two developed areas which are Gandhi Chowk also known as Library Bazaar at the western end, and the Kulri Bazaar and Picture Palace at the eastern end, linked by the 2km Mall, beyond Kulri Bazaar a narrow road leads 1.5km to Landour Bazaar.

If you are an ardent reader you can go visit the famous author Ruskin Bond. I can’t recall when I first heard of Ruskin Bond. He seems to have been around for as long back as I can remember. Though I can only remember that he was there in my school text books and eventually I fall in love with his writings since then. I read his short stories and essays in books and newspapers. From Adventures of Rusty to The Night Train at Deoli or even Roads to Mussoorie I read it all. I have often escaped from the smoke and dust of my city by hiding among the trees and hills that populate his books.  

He lives in Ivy Cottage, Landour near Lal Tibba. The mere mention of that name filled my mind with images of hills and mountains, deodar and pine tree, rain and snow, and of course birds. The front part of Ivy Cottage is taken up by Doma’s Inn, the frontage of which is covered with various colourful, traditional Tibetan thangka paintings depicting Buddhist scenes.  The slopes of the hill we’re on are full of deodars. Bond had written of them in Notes From A Small Room—“Having lived with deodars (divine trees), I can understand God having a favourite among trees.” You can visit Cambridge Book store where Bond keep going every Saturday to meet people. 

Through his writings he tells us the secrets about the beauty of the hill station that travel guides cannot. 

Things to do in Mussoorie: 

• Get a room with balcony view of Doon Valley. It looks amazing during the night, just like twinkling stars. Trust me the experience will be worth it. As dusk falls, the magic begins. First a small light goes on in the valley below, then the next. And so on, until the entire Doon is but a carpet of light, shimmering, enchanting and iridescent.

• Visit Kalsang where you will get amazing Tibetan cuisine, Lovely Omelette Centre and Chic Chocolate are must when you are in Mussoorie.  
  

• Take a Walk Along The Mall. The entire stretch of the Mall, starting from Library Point and going up to the Picture Palace, is a good 2 kms walk. However, as you stroll along you will hardly feel the distance owing to the variety of life that you witness. 

• You can visit to the Gun Hill, it is the second highest point of Mussoorie which is around 15 mins from Mall road. 
  

Don’t forget: If you are looking for some peace, try wandering in the less taken routes. You can take a walk down trails which will give you a unique experience. Also I would definitely recommend the Buddh Temple at Happy Valley Road near IAS Academy, there are prayer wheels, idols of Buddha and prayer/meditation halls with beautiful carvings on the walls, ceilings and panels.

Don’t forget: If you are looking for some peace, try wandering in the less taken routes. You can take a walk down trails which will give you a unique experience. Also I would definitely recommend the Buddh Temple at Happy Valley Road near IAS Academy, there are prayer wheels, idols of Buddha and prayer/meditation halls with beautiful carvings on the walls, ceilings and panels. 

You can also visit: Dhanaulti which is around 25 Kms from Mussoorie and is very calm and serene. Also Kanhatal, it offers treks through its forests, drives on forest roads. The best part about these places is that these places are quiet, calm and less crowded unlike Mussoorie.

P.S : Special Thanks to Zamie Habib for some amazing clicks :) 

Tagged: #Mussoorie #Uttarkhand #Landour #RuskinBond #Dhanaulti

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The so called 'Haunted' mountains of the Satpura Ranges: Pachmarhi

Pachmarhi the only hill station of Madhya Pradesh surrounded by waterfalls, cave temples and the forested ranges of the Satpura National Park and offers a refreshing escape from steamy central India. Bridle paths lead into placid forest groves of wild bamboo, jamun, dense sal forests and delicate bamboo thicket, it offers absolute tranquility. 
 Much of this ambience has been set, and is still being maintained, by the strong presence of the Army. The old cottages, meticulously maintained by the Military Engineering Serivces, have changed little since the days of Kipling. 

Pachmarhi is a pleasure for people like me who love the idea of taking some time off from the daily work schedule and to relax somewhere far away from the hustle bustle of the cities. Anyhow, the place is so small it is barely a town. Forests and ancient rocks encroach its space from all sides. Narrow roads wind their way past ‘haunted’ colonial houses and mysterious churches. It might look like as if everything has a story to tell. Many people whom I know have experienced certain mysterious and unnatural activities when visited the place. You might experience a spooky feeling at night since the entire town becomes deserted. But the place is very scenic and peaceful and it has its own charm.

Even if you don’t plan to go on an organised trek or jeep safari, you can easily spend a couple of days here cycling or hiking to the numerous sights.

Places to Visit

Pandava Caves
A tourist landmark in Panchmarhi, Pandav Caves lend their name to this picturesque hill resort of Madhya Pradesh. According to local legends and popular beliefs, the five Pandav brothers of Mahabharata, along with their wife 'Draupadi', spent a part of their exile here.

Catholic Church
Built by the British in 1892, this ancient monument displays a striking blend of French and Irish architecture. The stained glass windows beautify the edifice and add to its magnificence. It also has an old cemetery attached to it. The tombstones here dates back to 1859, World War I and World War II. It look like an old  haunted Church.

 Pic Source-tripadvisor

Pic Source- ghumkkar.com

Christ Church
The British built this church in 1875. Considered as the most stunning small church in Madhya Pradesh, the building displays an artistic architectural style. It has a hemispherical dome on top of its 'sanctum-sanctorum'. The tinted glass panes gilded on the walls and the altar present dazzling views as sunrays pass.



Priyadarshini Point
Earlier known as Forsyth Point, it was named after Captain James Forsyth who discovered Panchmarhi from this point. Witnessing the spectacular sunset views from this vantage point, when the three peaks - Chauradeo, Mahadeo and Dhupgarh, play with various hues, is a privileged sight.

Jatasankar
A sacred cavern under a mass of loose boulders, the place is named 'Jatasankar', as a rock formation here resembles the tangled manes of Lord Shiva. The 'Samadhistha Shiva' in this dark cave resembles the hood of a serpent and is a site of awe and reverence.

Handi Khoh
Earlier known as 'Andhi Kho' amongst the natives, it is the deepest of all the gorges at Pachmarhi and is nearly 300 ft deep. It is shadowed in a wild thicket, with dramatically steep sides.

Mahadeo
 Sal trees and precarious hairpin bends lead to the cave shrine of Mahadeo. Drops of water trickle from the roof of this cave and form a holy pool in which the devotees can take a dip. The large 'shivlinga' of this shrine is the main site of worship. Pilgrims flock to the place, especially during 'Shivratri'.

Chauragarh.
4 km from Mahadeo, it is one of Satpura's prominent land marks, the summit crowned with emblems of Mahadeo worship.

Dhoopgarh.
The highest point in the Satpura range, with a magnificent view of the surrounding ranges.  Also popularly known as the sunset point.

Reechhgarh.
A wonderful natural amphitheater in the rock, approached through a cave-like entrance on the South-side.

Jalawataran (Duchess Fall)
The most beautiful of all Pachmarhi falls, it can be reached only on foot. The descent to the fall is steep and the journey is quite arduous. This fall plunges down in three different cascades, accompanied by deafening sounds. No doubt, the alluring sight and sound of the place makes it a hot spot amongst tourists.

Sunder Kund (Saunder's Pool)
Crossing the stream below Duchess Fall and following a footpath about 2.5 km in a south- west direction, brings one to a huge rocky pool that is excellent for a refreshing swim.

Where to Stay
Pachmarhi is a popular tourist retreat. Tourists visit pachmarhi through out the year. There are numerous hotels but only few of them are located in civil area of pachmarhi away from houch pouch market area to stay in peaceful location. One can consider staying at any of the guest houses or hotels run by Department of Tourism (Govt. of Madhya Pradesh). Various private resorts and cottage/hotel facilities are also available.

How to reach
Pachmarhi is around 47 km from Pipariya. Pipariya is on Itarasi-Jabalpur rail line, 2 hours from Jabalpur and approximately 1 hour from Itarsi. Pachmarhi can also be reached directly by bus from Bhopal, which is 210 km away by road, Itarsi or Jabalpur.
Pachmarhi can also be reached from Nagpur. The Mahrashtra State Road Transport Corporation has started 2x2 luxury buses, or with private cars which will take around eight hours to reach Pachmarhi.

Don’t Miss
Don’t forget to try the adventure sports there. From Para-sailing to Rock climbing and Biking you will get to enjoy all of these at the same place same location.

Tagged: #Pachmarhi #MadhyaPradesh #Haunted #Church #Parasailing #SatpuraNationalPark

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